Category: Resources

You are probably wishing I would have given you this information last week while you were held hostage inside by the snow and ice. Sorry! I just didn’t think fast enough.

But free is good anytime, right?

If you like to add to your ebook collection by spending no or little money, here are two great sites for you to investigate.

Bookbub.com is a site that connects you with free or inexpensive book buys across every genre. You can choose which categories you are interested in, and Bookbub will tailor a list based on your preferences and deliver it to your inbox. You can investigate their recommendations and buy or not as you prefer. You can update your preferences at any time, and your Bookbub emails will reflect those changes. (more…)

— This post is the third in a series of five in which I discuss the five books that helped me the most in 2014. At the conclusion of this series, I will be giving away copies of these books, plus a few others, to folks selected at random from our email community list. You can join by filling out the short pop-up coupon. Thanks for reading! —

I stumbled upon this book while seeking to improve my writing skills. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to understand the power of story. It’s not only our greatest source of entertainment, but it is the most powerful teaching tool available. Save The Cat! is a successful screenwriter’s effort to share with other writers how to effectively tell, or in his case, write, a story.

(To read the rest of this post, click the READ MORE link at bottom left)

There’s something about the leafless landscape and chilly days of winter. The cold wind jolts you into reality. Yes, 2014 did go by that quickly. And yes, we are already knee deep in a brand new year.

For me, closing a year requires a review of its events, both its failures and successes. New Year’s Day marked the mid-point of my seventeenth year as pastor of our church. The cumulative successes and failures of that role insist on being examined, too. All of this examining and soul searching leads to marking up next year’s calendar with every event and idea that I need to accomplish to make-up for the things I bungled or failed to get done in the previous seventeen.

Disasters come in all sizes. Sometimes we have time to plan; often, we do not.

In case of a natural disaster, folks should plan to take care of themselves for three days before expecting outside help to arrive. If damage is widespread, think Katrina or the Nashville flood a few years ago, resources may focus on the more populated areas and miss you entirely. That sounds unfair and incompetent, but even good folks with the best of intentions miss the perfect mark now and then.

Not everyone understands how critical incident stress causes a person to act or react. People who frequently deal with traumatic situations or events (police officers, firefighters, emt’s, medical staff, etc.) can relate to one another, but often have a difficult time explaining to others how they deal with these experiences.

Here is a page you can download that will help you understand how critical incident stress works and how you can help your friends who may experience it. Just click the link below.

When you are experiencing a particularly difficult stage in life, the stress that comes with those times can cause physical and emotional issues that makes your circumstances even worse.

There are several things you can do to keep yourself physically and emotionally fit. Most are very simple, but are often overlooked because they are simple. Simple things such as drinking plenty of water. Walking and other forms of exercise. Talking things over with your minister or a trusted friend. Taking some time off from your problems – even if it is just for a few moments.

Here is a link to a page you can download that gives you more information.

People who experience a traumatic event can expect every part of their lives to be effected. Most people do not understand how powerful these events can be, nor do they realize how our bodies react to the stress.

Here is a document that you can download that explains how all this works. It also includes a chart to illustrate some of the symptoms that a person can experience. Click the link below.